Clinical thermometer



Oct. 18, 1932. R JR 1,883,717

CLINICAL THERMOMETER Original Filed July 50, 1928 Mmifow leopoZdE Ci Jr?the reading thereof and as faras Patented Oct. 18,1932

LEOIPOLD n. GREINER, .13., or NEW YOIB|K,-1\T. Y. Y

' CLINICAL THERMOMETEB '0riginalapp1ication filed. J ly 30, 1928,

. V r 1929. Serial This invention relates to thermometers, particularlytothe' clinical and chemical type of'thermometer, the object of theinvention being to improve this class of thermometers thereby tofacilitate the reading thereof, the

present application being a division of my application bearing SerialNo. 296,152and filed July 30, 19:28.

Glinicalthermometers are provided with a p to permit the prismatlc ormagnifying porvery restricted bore for the thread-like passage of themercury in its column, which is difficult for even skille 1 persons toaccurately read, especially in a poor light, and consequently mistakesare frequently made in the reading thereof. Various attempts have beenmade to. overcome this objectionable feature,

but, owing to the small size of the'instrument, 7

this difliculty has not been entirely eliminated, even though it hasbeen the general practice 1 to provide such thermometers with amagnitier. 1

Therefore, it is the object of the present improvement to provide athermometer of the class described so constructed as to facilitatepossible and to do prevent mistakes in such reading, this in a simple,manner which will not interfere with the commercial production or saleof the article. In the drawing accompanying and forming part of thisspecification i Figure 1 is a viewof one proved thermometer, and p Fig.2 is across-sectional view of the shield. Similar characters ofreference indicate corresponding parts in the several views.

Before explaining in detail the present improvement and mode ofoperation thereof, I desire to have itunderstood that the-invention a isnot limited to the details of construction and arrangements of partswhich are illustrated in the accompanying drawing, since the inventionis capable of other embodiments, and ploy is for the purpose of oflimitation.

form of this imdescription and not Thethermometer, in a general way,com-I prises a stem 1 of glass having a mercury bore or passage-2 andthe usual constricted 5o portion 3 communicating withthe mercury;

such as celluloid or aluminum,

inexpensive and practical portion through provide a reinforcing that'thephraseology which I em- 1 Serial No. 296,152; Divided and thisapplication filed October 5,

bulb 4. The thermometer is provided with the usual degree markingb whichmay be applied in any suitable way. In the present form of the inventionI provide a shield 9 made of some suitable light-weight material, andwhich may be transparent, if desired, and shapedto conform to the shapeof the thermometer, but rovidedwith a slot '10 of just suiiicientsizetion of the thermometer to be in v1ew. Th s mometer and also to permitthe properexpansion thereof. -The shield is of the proper length toenclose the reading part of the thermometer. f I

In the form of the invention shown, in addition to the slot 1O, throughwhich the mercury may be observed and the expansion slot 11, the shieldmay also have slots or openings 12 and 13 at ticular form of shieldbeing adapted for that class of thermometers where the scale is on oneside and the temperature degreemarkings are on the opposite side. I I vi WVhen the thermometer is of that type having all the markings onone-side, the shield will be provided with an opening only at oneside. I

As shown i Fig. 2, the edges of the slotted which the mercurymay beobserved are curled or rolled, as at 14, to and protected edge. Thisshield may be readily slipped. overthe thermometer, and not only acts asa-protection to prevent breakage but may also act as a casingtherefor;in fact, it may be made as part of the screw cap or casing s-o'as toenclose the entire thermometer, ifv desired. The edges of the slot alongthe casing are colored, in contarst with the naturaljcolor of thematerial used for the casing, as at 15, preferablyred, and thetransverse edges of this shield atthe ends of the slot may also becolored, thereby ver'y materially facilitating the reading of thethermometer and preventing misreading thereof, even in a.

poor light.

opposite sides, this pa'rportion of the thermometer and longitudinalslot plied directly to the shield instead of to the glass of thethermometer, in which case, of course, it will be necessary that theshield have a fixed position relatively to the thermometer.

From the foregoing it will be observed that the magnifying portion ofthe thermometer is very clearly defined by the colored border lines atthe opposite sides and ends of this magnifying portion of thethermometer, thereby materially facilitating the proper reading thereof.

It is to be understood by describing in de tail herein any particularform, structure or arrangement, that it is not intended to limit theinvention beyond the terms of the several claims or the requirements ofthe prior art.

Having thus explained the nature of my said invention and described away of constructing and using the same, although without attempting toset forth all of the forms in which it may be made or all of the modesof its use, I claim:

1. A thermometer of the class described having a shield covering andprotecting the thermometer and having a longitudinal slot aligned withthe prismatic or magnifying also having a longitudinal slot along itsside for the observation of the degree markings.

2. A thermometer of the class described having a shield covering andprotecting the thermometer and having a longitudinal slot aligned withthe prismatic or magnifying portion of the thermometer and also having alongitudinal slot along its side for the observation of the degreemarkings, said shield being split to render the same resilient andexpansible.

'3. A thermometer of the class described having a shield covering andprotecting the thermometer and having a longitudinal slot aligned withthe prismatic or magnifying portion of the thermometer and also having aalong its side for the observation of the degree markings, said shieldhaving reinforced edges along the edges of the longitudinal slot alignedwith the prismatic or magnifying portion of the thermometer.

4. A thermometer of the class described having a shield covering andprotecting the thermometer and having a longitudinal slot aligned withthe prismatic or magnifying portion of the thermometer and alsohaving alongitudinal slot along its side for the observation of the degreemarkings, said shield having curled or bent edges along the edges of thelongitudinal slot aligned with the prismatic portion of the thermometer.

A thermometer of the class described "having a shield covering andprotecting the thermometer and having a longitudinal slot aligned withthe prismatic ortm'agnifying portion of the thermometer and alsohavaligned with the ing a longitudinal slot along its side for theobservation of the degree markings, said shield having edges of saidfirst longitudinal slot colored in contrast with the remainder of theshield.

6. A thermometer of the class described having a shield covering andprotecting the thermometer and having a longitudinal slot aligned withthe prismatic or magnifying portion of the thermometer and also having alongitudinal slot along its side for the observation of the degreemarkings, said shield having edges of said first longitudinal slotreinforced and colored in contrast with the remainder of the shield.

7. A thermometer of the class described having a shield covering andprotecting the thermometer and having a longitudinal slot aligned withthe prismatic or magnifying portion of the thermometer and also having alongitudinal slot alongits side for the observation of the degreemarkings, said shield having curled or bent edges along the edges ofsaid first longitudinal slot and colored in contrast with the remainderof the shield.

8. A thermometer of the class described having a shield covering andprotectmg the thermometer and having a longitudinal slot aligned withthe prismatic or magnifying portion of the thermometer and also having alongitudinal slot along its side'for the observation of the degreemarkings, said shield having curled or bent edges along theedges of saidfirst longitudinal slot, all of the edges of said'slot colored incontrast" to the remainder of'the shield.

9. A thermometer of the class described having a shieldcovering andprotecting the thermometer and having a longitudinal slot prismatic ormagnifying portion of the thermometer'and also having a longitudinalslot at each side of said first longitudinal slot. 7 r

10. A thermometer of the class described having a shield covering andprotecting the thermometer and having a longitudinal slot aligned withthe prismatic or magnifying portion of the thermometer and also having alongitudinal slot at each side of said first longitudinal slot, saidfirst longitudinal slot having all the edges thereof colored'in 0011-trast with the remainder of the's'hield.

Signed at New York, N. Y., this 30th day of September, 1929. I

LEOPOLD GREINER, JR.

